Are you who you say you are?
by MissDracoMalfoy90
Summary: Draco Malfoy is out of azkaban after three months. He is not the same person. He decides to go back to complete his final year. Little does he know that hermionie is also back and that they will be the only two eighth years at hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

_'Serve the sentence, Pay the price, Live with regrets'_

**Draco**  
The bars swung open, rust flaking off the hinges. "Times up Malfoy!". Said the prison guard that had barely left the cell for three months. A pale, swollow face Malfoy looked up from his feet to notice the cell door wide open. He pushed himself up off the gritty stone floor, his knees shaking violently, and suffled through the open door. If three months in Azkaban had affected him this way, then he coudn't imagine how it would be for his parents etarnal sentence. During his time behind the bars of the greatest wizarding prison, he would hear the wails and screams of the prisoners from down the long corridor. He would try to block out the noise by humming loudly to him self, but it never worked. He was glad he was getting out of there alive, the dementors presence drew life from everyone inside. The guard pushed him into the main office where he collected his wand and was ushered into the fireplace, ordered never to return for his parents. The green flames swallowed him down a tight tube of fire. When he landed, he heard the loud hustle an bustle of Diagon Alley.

He stepped out of the fire place onto the cobbled street. He tried to brush himself off but the filth was permanantly etched into his clothing. That would be the first thing on list of thing to buy. The stares he got from first years being quickly ushered away by there parents, did not lighten his mood as he walked. He cautiously made his way to the wizarding bank of Gringotts. The goblins scowled and glared, mumbling insults under their breath as he passed them by. When he made it to the main desk he asked the goblin if he could withdraw some money. Reluctantly, the goblin sent for another to help Draco to his safe.

For the rest of the day people glared and cursed at him. He didn't blame them. The first place he stopped was Madam Malkins to buy some new school robes. Three months to think and Draco had decided that he would return to Hogwarts and finish his final year properly. Madam Malkin was very unhappy to see him but as always she gave him what he needed. Draco's next stop was Quality quidditch supplies to buy himself a new broomstick. He doubted he woud be allowed to play quidditch again but never the less. He had visited flourish and blotts, The owl emporium and the couldron shoup all before he decided to go home to Malfoy Manor. He apparated as soon as he left the couldron shop.

He appeared right out the front of the large double door into the house, where on the steps he found the remains of a white peacock. He knew he would never feel at home here again but he had no where else to go. He pulled open the door with such force that paint fell from the entry hall ceiling. he stepped in to fin a fine layer of dust covering everything in sight. From the chandeliers to the carpet runners down the hall. Nothing had been touched since the were forced to fight in the war with the dark lord. Draco colapsed onto the floor, his knees giving way beneath him. He sobbed into his hands. Would things ever turn out right?

**Hermione  
**After the war had ended hermionie ahd tracked down her bespelled parents and brought them home. They were a little annoyed that they had lost a whole year of their lives but understood their daughters intentions. It had been three months since the war had ended. During the year of the war, Hermionie had decided that she would return to Hogwarts and she would complete her studies the the fullest of her ability. It was what she wanted most, even if ron and harry had decided to do Auror training instead at the Ministry of Magic. She knew she wouldn't be the only eighth year there.

It was a Tuesday morning. The morning before the Hogwarts express left from platform 9 3/4. Hermionie was In diagon Alley making her way towards Flourish and blotts. Out the corner of her eye she saw a flash of green flames. She tuned to see a terrible looking Draco Malfoy stepping out of the alley fireplace. Her Anger rose. _Why has he been let out of prison, he should be in there for life with his bloody parents! _hermionie thought as she turned away from him and continued into the book shop.

This year she had decided to do as many classes as she could. Muggle studies was one of her favourite subjects as it made her laugh when the teachers tried to explain the use of a Lufa. She had decided against defence against the dark arts, she had had enough of the dark arts to last her the rest of her life. One subject she could not afford to miss was Advanced Charms class. She had always had a knack for it and it was rather exciting when she learned something new. Other classes she decided to take were , Potions, Transfiguration, Ancient runes, Arithmancy and flying would be an added bonus. As soon as she had bought all she needed she Disapparated from Diagon Alley with Malfoy's return pushed to the back of her mind.

At home she had her suitcase packed and her cat crookshanks II sitting in a tarnsport cage on top. Everything this year would turn out perfectly she knew it would.. well she deeply hoped it would. For many nights after the war had ended she had nightmares which she would wake to screaming. Her parents began to worry and sent for a doctor from St Mungo's to come and talk to her. After that she was able to sleep silently again. But the thoughts were never far from her mind. Seeing Malfoy On Tuesday must have triggered a deep emotion, for that night she did not sleep well.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione woke with a start the next morning. She looked to her left where her alarm clock read 4:07am. She sighed and flopped back down. After trying to get back to sleep for half an hour with no success, she decided to get up. It was the day the Hogwarts express left for Hogwarts, she would have plenty to keep her occupied until 11 o' clock.

It was 10:49 and Hermione was already sitting in the eigth year's booth on the train reading the latest Quibbler. She had found the magazine rather amusing ever since Luna had begun handing them out on the train, she had even subscribed. She was halfway through an article about wrackspurts when the booth door flew open to reveal none other than tall, pale faced Draco Malfoy. "You have got to be joking!" she exclaimed. He threw his gaze up from his luggage.

"Granger?, i guess i shouldn't be suprised" said malfoy acidy.

"On the other hand I am!" said hermionie "This is ridiculous, i'm not sharing a compartment with someone like you" she got up, but before she could leave Draco stopped her

"There's no other compartments so don't bother!"

She huffed and sat back where she had begun

"so is this the ministries doing? Sending you back to school to punish you for your comradeship with voldemort, that's preposturous why don't they just lock you up in azkaban, that's where you belong, how dare you think you can show your face here..."

"I just got released from azkaban" draco yelled over hermione's whigning.

"What?" hermione stopped

"They did put me in there!" Draco yelled at her "and my parents! Of course they put us in there. Where else do you put a family that have dedicated their lives to helping the most famous dark wizard of all time, Giving him a place to hide, being forced to become things we never wanted" and this point draco pulled up his sleve to show a dark mark forever etched into his skin, it had scabs and dried blood covering it, he had obviously tried to scratch it off but to no sucess. "The whole summer i was locked away! never to see the sunlight!" Malfoy looked down uncomfotably, tears falling to the carpet "You don't know what it's like in there Hermione" he sobbed "I was only in there for three months...imagine what will happen to my parents after their life sentence" He looked up to hermione with his pale eyes bloodshot and said quietly "It changes people" and with that he pulled open the compartment door and walked away from the boggled hermione.

Draco shoved people out the way as he made his way down to the last carrige on the train, the bathroom. He pulled off his tie and threw it to the ground. He felt as though he was choking. He grasped the edge of the sink and stared hard into the mirror before him.

_i should have never come back, this was my worst idea ever, how will i be able to walk down the halls of hogwarts while everyone knows who i am and what i have done! _He thought to himself "AHHHHHRGGHHH! and he punched the mirror with a closed fist and the whole vanity shook. From behind him he heard a squeal. A small first year boy was frozen in horror. "Get out of here!" Yelled Draco, but immediatly regretted it as the small boy ran out crying. he turned back to the sink, washed off his face and headed back to the eighth year compartment, back to hermione.

When Draco returned Hermione was reading 'Great Magical Creatures: The history of the Centaur'. Draco slid open the door and Hermione threw her book down and jumped up. To Draco she looked as if she was going to say something, she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Shaking her head she sat back down and continued to read. Draco sat across from her and pulled out the latest copy of the 'Daily Prophet' and begun flicking through. After looking through a couple of articles, there was nothing of interest and he felt his lids become heavy. soon enough he was asleep. Across from him hermione had already nodded off with her book laid neatly across her lap. It wouldn't be long before they reached Hogwarts.


	3. Chapter 3

_Thud! _Hermione pulled her trunk from the top shelf above her seat. Malfoy woke with a start "Sorry" she said and hurried out the door, down the hall and on to the hogsmede platform, where Malfoy soon followed. The carriges were already there and waiting as usual. Hermione tossed her trunk up onto their carrige and was then helped up to her seat my Hagrid "Hermione how ya bin'? I wonderd wether i'd be seein' ya gain" He asked her with that usual grin on his face. "Wonderful Hargrid, yes i thought that it would be best that i return and finish my schooling. I also missed it terribly here, the muggle world is wonderful, but nothing beats seeing a half giant everyday" she threw that last bit in to make hagrid feel like she came back for him. There was no harm in that.

Draco dragged his suit case towards the carriges, but unlike any other year, he stopped dead in his tracks to find a skeletal looking black horse tied to the front of the carrige. What was this thing! he had never seen one in his life, and they had never been leading the carriges in his prior years! with eyes wide on the horse like figure he loaded his case on and pulled himself up to sit on the same side as Hermione but far to the left, away from her. Hagrid stared down at him with a look of disgust, then looked away mumbling something about the 'ministry of magic's doing'. Draco sighed and looked toward the dark sillhouette of Hogwarts in the distance. Would anyone give him a second chance?

When they reached the castle, It looked different. What had been destroyed in the war was now rebuilt with a pale grey rock. A completly different texture and colour to the original. Draco gazed upon it and flashbacks of the war flickered through his head. The time when voldemort tossed him aside to yell at his mother, when he saw the green and red flashes of curses whizzing past his head, just inches away, and he saw more clearly than ever the fall of lord voldemort. When Harry Potter had come back to life to kill him. He remembered every second. It was a re-occuring dream of his. Of that moment. "Malfoy hurry up" called one of the professors and ushered him up the steps into a large hallway. At the end was the door to the great Hall.

A pile of trunks and suitcases were piled high next to the door and the first years were chattering away excitedly as professor McGonagall lined them up in their order. Malfoy was surprised that She hadn't been assigned as headmistress, he thought that she was the next in line? Hermione also noticed this and walked straight up to her to ask "Professor, i thought you would be headmistress?" She gazed questioningly.

"Well yes but i decided that i would not be able to cope, i have become very weak these days miss Granger. And good to see you back by the way" she smiled and continued to line up the first years. Hermione turned away only to meet Draco's pale eyes. she quickly tuned away before it became akward.

Hagrid, Draco and Hermione walked in through the enormous doors of the great hall. Hagrid led them to a small table near the front of the room which was neatly laid out with plates and name cards reading "Master Malfoy" on one side and "Miss Granger" on the other. They were directly opposite each other and more than not reminded Hermione of a table set up for a dinner date. Which was most certainly not the case. Nevertheless, she was starved and sat down at her name. Draco did the same, but unlike hermione he felt his back blazing with the heat of stares of everyone in the room. "Hermione!" A girl screamed as she came rushing up to their table. Her hair was blazing red and her robes slightly faded. The girl who had come rushing up was none other than Ginny Weasly. "Ginny!" Cried Hermione and threw her arms around her friend. "Harry had told me that you were coming back but i couldn't believe him, i will have to apologize when he comes to visit next week." Ginny caught sight of Draco and her face dropped "Malfoy, what are you doing here? Harry told me that you would come back but i didn't believe that either... I guess he was right. The ministry did send you here to punish you!"

At that Draco flared up "The ministry had no SAY in what i do or don't do! This was my choice to come back MINE! NO ONE WANTED me to come back but i wanted to! I wanted to do this for me If you don't want to believe me then fine! But this was the only place where i felt real where i felt like i had some reason for living, The only place i was even slightly accepted. I know i have done some bad things and i know that it may take forever for someone to forgive me but i swear on my mother and father ever coming out of azkaban, that i would die before i ever hurt anyone again. I'm a complely changed person. It may be hard for you to understand, because no one has ever understood, ever!" Ginny was gob smacked and Hermione had that look of concern but with an underlying shock. The entire great hall was silent. Draco sat back down still with that blazing heat on his back.

The new head master had taken the attention off draco by bringing out the feast, Everyone was starving even Draco ate most of his portion. Hermione had found her old friends in the year below who were now in their final year, and had left draco to look across the staffing table to see who he recognised. Hagrid still remained Carer of magical creatures, Flitwick was still there as were, Sprout and Trawlney. He panned along the table until he came across the new headmaster sitting in his golden chair in the centre of the long table. He identified him self as Marcus Gillion. He wore small round specticals and had straight fine white hair that fell to his shoulders. His beard was balck with a white stripe down the middle, which ended in a point at his stomach. This new headmaster Draco recognised as one of the people that was at his hearing before he went to prison. He hadn't realized he was staring until the headmaster stared back and winked at him. Draco turned quickly away, blushing.

After they had an enormous dessert covered in chocolate fudge sauce, Hermione and Draco were full. The plates dissapperaed when Gillion Clapped his hands, and yelled "Off to bed, sleep well everyone" and with a small smile he walked down the side steps and through the door. There was a hustle and butle as prefects led the first years to the dorms, and the rest followed. Before the two eighth years could leave a voice called them over. "Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger could you please stay a moment, I have your dormitory finished and would like to show you first hand" It was Gillion. He smiled with eagerness ans he turned and walked away, mentioning for them to follow. They walked past the ravenclaw tower and headed toward a large painting on the wall. The painting was of a Thestral. Hermione gasped "It's a beautiful picture isn't it?"

Draco was shocked "If i might ask professor" He turned to the new headmaster and he nodded "What is that creature? It's just that i think i may have seen one recently"

Gillion smiled and nodded i think i will leave that up to Miss Granger to explain if i might, sleep tight" and with that strode away dow the hall. "But what's our password?" called hermione But Gillion had already disappeared "Brilliant" she said sarcastically and slumped against the wall.

"Well while we wait, do you mind if you tell me what this creature is?" asked Draco

"Well, ok, as soon as you said that you saw one-i take it you saw them pulling the carriges earlier- i was i suppose pleasently suprised" hermione gave a huff

"Excuse me?" Malfoy looked confused

"Well" Hermione said acidly "A Thestral will only bee seen by someone who a seen a terrible death, and who show honest and true remorse, or at least felt sorry for that person... Ahh Onesta, what a wonderful thing. If only we all could be honest onece in a while"

"Granger look" Draco pointed to the painting. The Thestral reared and the painting swung open to let them in. "What did you say before?"

"Umm Onesta? Onesta is Honesty in italian, how on earth did Gillion know that i knew italian, never mind i'm rather dead tired right now"

Hermione made her way up to the the room that displayed a name carved into a silver plate saying Miss Hermione Granger. She pushed open the door and closed it behind her. _Wow_ she thought. they had really gone all out to make the only two eighth years feel like they were wanted back at hogwarts. The room looked simply marvelous. There was a large king size four poster bed in the centre of the room and to the left was a small ensuite all to her self. To the right stood a large carved wooded wardrobe. It was beautiful. On the front of the wardrobe was a mirror, and stuck to the wardrobe was a small note

"_hermione, dumbledore put this in his will to go to me, i see nothing in the mirror anymore, although i miss my parents, i know that they are happy and safe, so now their faces no longer show up. I know that you will find a use for this mirror even if it is finding a lost hair clip, i know i have given it to you for a reason but i'm not exactly sure why i chose to give it to you... i had a hunch. anyway, i will be coming to visit next week good luck settling in... Harry xx"_

Hermione gazed into the mirror. It couldn't be! it was the same mirro Harry had looked into years ago when he first saw his parents and when he first came face to face with voldemort since his 1st birthday. It was _the_ mirror. For a few moments she saw nothing, then slowly a fuzzed over face appeared. She couldn't make out the features or who it could be and it did not get clearer. She sighed. "I suppose Harry's hunch is a bad one" she said as she dressed for bed and fell silently asleep. In the other room Draco was unpacking his things and putting them into the wardrobe. He was exhausted one minute he was putting a blazer onto a coat hanger and the next he was draped across the bed fast asleep.


End file.
